Pillar lock



May 2, 1944. JACOB] 2,348,135

'PILLAR LOCK i iled Se t.- 11, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 24 2 9. v em May 2, 1944.- E. N. JACOB] I 2,348,135

PILLAR LOCK Filed Sept. 11, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 2, 1944 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 2,348,135 BILLAR Lock Edward N. JacebL Milwaukee, WVis, assignor to Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Milwaukee,

Wis, a corporation of Delaware Application September 11, 1942, Serial No. 457,944

18 Claims. (of. vii-3'79) This invention relates to locks and refers particularly to automobile door locks known as pillar locks wherein a drive shaft projects axially from the inner end of the cylinder to drivingly couple the cylinder to the latch mechanism.

Those skilled in the art recognize the desirability of a lock for this service which is so designed and constructed that the cylinder is turned in one direction from aneutral key in and out position for locking and in an opposite direction from the neutral position for unlocking, but heretofore the high production-costs of such locks confined this use to the higher priced automobiles. I I

It is, therefore, a general object of this invention to provide a lock of the character described which is cheap enough to be used on automobiles of the popular price class.

With this objective in view, it is a specific object of the present invention to provide a lock so designed and constructed that its 'compone'nt parts are readily made and produced by simple, direct machining operations and easy assembling operations Locks of this type, as already noted, have a latch actuating shaft ordriver extending axially from the cylinder. The cou ling between the cylinder and this drive shaft must accommodate misalignment between the cylinder and the driven latch mechanism and it is this part of the lock which has presented the greatest obstacle to" low cost production.

Heretofore' thiscoupling between the cylinder and the drive shaft involved acomplicated con struction and a number of parts-,- the production of which, as well as'their assembly, was difficult and therefore expensive.

The present invention thus has as another of its objects the provision of a simple, direct coupling between the shaft and the cylinder which embodies all of the desirable features and at the same time does not add to the cost of producing I these parts or assembling them.- I II In this connection, it is an object of this inventionto provide'the inner end of the cylinder to which the shaftis connected with a socket of novel design in which the adjacent end of the shaft is received in a manner providinga coupling" having all of the required features. I I I I Another object of this invention is to provide a lock of the character describedwhich is st') constructed and designed that while adequate universal motion between the cylinder and drive shaft is incorporated in the I driving connection ment between the lock and latch inecnamsniue shaft when free is yieldinglyheld in a position extending straight out frorn the end of the cyl inder to thus facilitate installationof the lock.

Another object of this ihyention is to provide a lock of the character described wherein the assembly of the drive shaft with the cylinder is maintained by the simple expedient of applying a retaining spring to the cylinder; I I I Another object of this" inventionis to provide a simple but effective spring detent for indicating the neutral key in and out position of the cylinden In this connectionit is another object of this invention to provide a spring detentfor this pur} pose which is so arranged that its thrustis radial rather than axial so as not to wear the end thrust bearing for the cylinder and wherein the spring actuated part of the detent is carried by the rotatable cylinder rather than the housing so as to obviate the staking in of an additional plug during the assembly of the parts; I II With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, com; bination and arrangement ofpa'rt's' substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being'understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclo sed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof; and in which; Figure 1' is a side view of a lock embodying this invention, parts thereof being broken away and in section; Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken through Figure 1" on the plane of the line Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken through Figure 1 on the plarie'o'f the'line3'3' and mus: trating the specific relationship of the driving or clutch parts of the cylinder and shaft with the cylinder in its mean key in and out" posi tion;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure Eut's'h" we ing the parts in their tylind'er turnedto' one sidewhich may bet'o or unlock the mechan'i in; depending upon. the type of latch mechanism em'p1oye'd,' andwhiclipositherebtwen to accommodate possible misaligiist tion i opp ite the o'rie in which the mechanism stood with the parts in their positions shown in Figure 3;

Figure is a view also similar to Figure 3 but showing the parts i the positions they assume when the cylinder is turned back to its neutral key in and key out position with the driving shaft left in the position to which it has been moved in Figure 4; v

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the inner or rear end of thecylinder casing or housing;

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the rear or inner end of the cylinder, the adjacent end of the latch mechanism drive shaft and the retaining spring by which these parts are held assembled; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the rear'or inner end portio of the cylinder viewing the same from the bottom.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates the casing or housing of a lock embodying this invention and which has a bore 6 to receive a rotatable cylinder 7. The casing or housing 5 and the cylinder are provided with the usual pin tumblers 8 by which the cylinder is secured againstrotation in a neutral position at which a proper key may be inserted and withdrawn. As is well understood, upon. insertion of the proper key the cylinder is freed for rotation.

The cylinder is inserted into the casing from its rear end and is held against endwise displacement by a stop 9 driven into a transverse slot if) in the inner end portion of the casing and projecting into an annular groove II in an enlarged rearend portion of the cylinder.

' The neutral .key in and key out position is indicated or defined by a spring detent l2 carried by the cylinder and yieldingly urged into engagement with a notch or depression It in the wall of the counterbore M in which the enlarged rear end portion of the cylinder is dis posed. I

v The detent l2 as well as its spring I5 is received in a well It extending radially into the cylinder and formed therein during the die casting of the cylinder.

Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the cylinder is die cast and that it is so designed and constructed that allthe elements required to effect the satisfactory coupling of the cylinder to the drive shaft I! by which the lock controls the latch mechanism (not shown) are obtained without the expense and bother of additional parts. 7 The drive shaft i1 consists of a length'of square stock having its outer end adapted for entry into a square aperture in the driven part of the latch mechanism (not shown) and its inner end, which is coupled to the cylinder, providedwithopposed notches l8 and [9 extending across the full width of two opposite sides of the shaft. These notches give the inner end of the shaft a headed formation with a square head and a rectangular neck 2|. 'The notch i8 is deeper than the notch 19 and has sharply defined square sides. Its'side I8'which forms the undersurface of the head 20 particularly must be normal to the longitudinal axis of the shaft as this surface cooperates with surfaces in a socket designated generally by the numeral 22 formed in the enlarged end portion of the cylinder, to hold the shaft straight, out from the cylinder to'facilitate installation of the lock.

The socket 22 consists of a bore 23 having a T-shaped opening 24 through the side wall thereof providing a side entrance into the bottom portion of the socket. The size and shape of this T-shaped side entrance is complementary to the headed end of the shaft so that the shaft may be inserted laterally into the socket.

The head portion of the T-shaped opening is in line with the bottom of the socket and projects to opposite sides of the detent well IS with one side thereof extending around the side of the cylinder and leading to an undercut channel or groove 21 in the inner side wall of the socket.

The stem portion of the T-shaped opening is substantially tangential to the bore 23 of the socket. Thus it will be seen that to effect proper assembly of the shaft with the cylinder, the shaft must be rotated as it is moved through the side entrance and into the socket.

Projecting in from the wall of the bore 23 at diametrically opposite points are two V-shaped driving lugs 28 and 29, the latter being partially defined by one sided the narrow throat of the T-shaped side entrance. These driving lugs extend substantially from the undercut channel or groove 21 to the bottom of a counterbore 30 in the extreme end of the cylinder. The wall of the counterbore 30 is cut away to provide an enlarged opening in line with the side entrance 24 and extending to opposite sides thereof, and has an external notch 3| substantially opposite its cut away portion.

For part of its circumference the enlarged-end portion of the cylinder has a flange 32 extending thereabout. This flange runs from the notch 3|, to the cut away portion of the counterbore where it is enlarged to form a knob '33.

Proper assembly of the shaft with the socketed end of the cylinder requires that the deeper notch l8 face the side of the narrow throat of the side entrance nearest the knob 33. As a result, the sharply defined square undersurface l8 of the head 20 and particularly the corners thereof ride on the ledge defined by the undercut channel or groove 27 which, as noted hereinbefore, constitutes a continuation of the undersurface of the V-shaped driving lug'28.

After proper assembly of the shaft with the socketed end of the cylinder, a spring 35 is applied to hold the parts assembled. The spring 35, as best shown in Figure '7, consists of a piece of spring wire bent substantially into the shape of a capital G and provided with a hook 36 at the top end thereof and a substantially V-shaped formation 31 at its bottom end.

The hook 36 engages in the notch 3| and with the length of the spring reaching around the surface of the cylinder behind the shoulder or flange 32, its opposite end portion enters the opening formed by the cut away portion of the counterbore and projects into the narrow throat of the side entrance. The knob 33 holds the spring in this position, notwithstanding fiexure thereof during operation;

Assemblyof the spring in the manner defined blocks the side entrance and holds the shaft assembled with the cylinder. It also presses against the adjacent face of the rectangular neck portion 2| of the shaft to yieldingly hold the shaft in a position at which the coaction between the squarershoulderformed by the undersurface l8 of the head on the shaft engaging the surfaces of the V-shaped driving lug 28 and the adjacent side of the undercut channel 21 holds the shaft straight out to facilitate its insertion into ing a headed portion of rectangular cross section received in the socket, said headed portion of thesquare aperture. of the latch mechanism (not shown).

The manner in which the spring acts to so hold the shaft may b readily understood from Figures2 to 5, inclusive. In all positions the coupling between the shaft and the cylinder permits enough relative angular or universal motion between the shaft and cylinder to accommodate any possible misalignment which maybe found to exist between the latch mechanism and the bore in the door post into which the lock is in-- serted.

In addition to holding the shaft out straight as defined and blocking the side entrance, the spring also takes up all play between the shaft and the cylinder and thus prevents rattles.

The rectangular cross section 2| of the shaft, in cooperation with the driving lugs 28 and 29 provides a lost motion driving connection between the cylinder and shaft through which the desired lock action is obtained, i. e., cylinder 'rotation in one direction from a neutral position. during locking and in the opposite direction from the same neutral position for unlocking.

The manner in which this desideratum is achieved by the lost motion connection employed is clearly illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5.

The shaft Il, which drives the latch mechanism is either in its locking or its unlocking position when the cylinder is in its neutral position.

Thus assuming that Figure 3 illustrates the parts in the positions they occupy when the latch mechanism is in its unlocked condition, the cylinder being in its neutral key in and key out position, the lost motion in the driving connection will be taken up in the clockwise direction (as viewed in Figures 3, 4 and 5).

Consequently, upon insertion of the proper key into the cylinder, rotation in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Figures 3, 4 and 5) would have no effectupon the latch mechanism. However, rotation in a clockwise direction from the neutral position will revolve the drive shaft to a locked position shown in Figure 4; and from the position shown in Figure 4, the cylinder can be returned to its neutral key in and out position to permit the key to be withdrawn, without disturbing the drive shaft which remains in its locked position.

Obviously, to bring the shaft back to its unlocked position shown in Figure 3, the key is inserted in the cylinder and the cylinder turned in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Figures 3, 4 and 5) which carries the drive shaft: to the position in which it is shown in Figure 3, whereupon the cylinder can be brought back to its neutral position and the key withdrawn.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, that this invention provides a lock device particularly suitable for use as a pillar lock on automobile doors and which has all the advantages of the previously more expensive back and forth locks wherein the key may be turned to right or left upon its insertion and at the same time permits production of the lock on a basis satisfactory for use in the popular price class of automobiles. I

What I claim as'rny invention is:

1. In a lock of the character described: a rotatable cylinder having an axial socket in its inner end portion and provided with an entrance through theside wall thereof; a drive shaft havthe drivershaft being insertable through the side entrance; substantially diametrically opposite driving lugs projecting in from the side wall of the socket and cooperable with the opposite faces of the rectangular portion to provide a lost motion driving connection between the cylinder and the shaft; and a spring mounted on the rotat able cylinder and'having a part thereof blocking the side entrance into the socket to thereby hold the shaft assembled with the cylinder.

2. In a lock of the character described: a cylinder having a socket opening to the end thereof, the side wall of the socket having a substantially T-shaped opening providing a side entrance leading into the socket; a drive shaft having a headed portion polygonal in cross section and of a size and shape to pass through said T-shaped side entrance; driving shoulders projecting infrom the wall of the socket and engageable with surfaces of the polygonal shaft portion to establish a lost motion drivin connection between the cylinder and the shaft; and a spring carried by the cylinder and havin a part thereof blocking the side entrance and pressing against the shaft to yieldingly hold the same in a predetere mined position with respect to the cylinder.

3. In a lock of the character described: a cylinder having a socket opening to the end thereof, the side wall of the socket having a substantially T-shaped opening providing a side entrance leading into the socket; a drive shaft having a headed portion polygonal in cross section and of a size and shape to pass through said T-shape'd side entrance; driving shoulders projecting in from-the wall Of the socket and engageable with surfaces of the polygonal shaft portion to estab: lish a lost motion drivin connection between the cylinder and the shaft; a spring carried by the cylinder and having a part thereof blocking the side entrance and pressing against the shaft to yieldingly hold the same in a. predetermined position with respect to the cylinder; and cooperating surfaces on the cylinder and the shaft held in engagement by the spring pressure whereby said predetermined position in which the spring holds the shaft is one in which the shaft projects straight out from the cylinder to facilitate installation of the lock.

4. In a lock of the character described: a cylinder having a socket opening to one end thereof and having a substantially T-shaped opening through the side Wall of the socket fOIming, a side entrance into the socket, said opening being to one side with respect to the axis of the socket; a drive shaft having a headed end portion of substantially rectangular cross section received in'the socket and of a size to pass through the T-shaped opening, the offside disposition of the opening with respect to the axis of the socket necessitating rotation of the shaft with respect to the cylinder during assembly and disassembly of said parts; means on the wall of the socket engageable with the opposite faces of the rectangular shaft portion for providing a lost motion driving connection between the cylinder and the shaft; and a spring carried by the cylinder and bearing against the shaft in a manner preventing rotation of the shaft with respect to the cylinder to the position required for disassembly.

5. In a lock of the character described: a rotatable cylinder having. a socket opening axially to one end thereof and having an opening in the sidewall of the cylinder providing aside entrance into the socket; a drive shaft having a portionof polygonal cross section received in the socket, the sideentrance into the socket and the polygonal cross sectional portion of the shaft.

having complementary shapes when the'shaft is in a predetermined position of rotation which enables sidewise insertion of the shaft into the socket; cooperating means on the cylinder and the shaft inside the socket providing a-lost motion driving connection between the cylinder and the shaft} and a spring carried by the rotatable cylinder with a part thereof blocking the side entrance into the socket to hold the shaft in the socket. V V a V 6. In a lock of the character described: a cylinder having a socket opening axially to one end thereof and having an openin in the side wall of the cylinder providing a side entrance into the socket; a drive shaft having a portion of polygonal cross section received in the socket, the side entrance into the socket and the polygonal cross sectional portion Of the shaft having complementary shapes when the shaft is in a predetermined position of rotation which enables sidewise insertion of the shaft into the socket; cooperating means on the cylinder and the shaft inside the socket providing a, lost motion driving connection between the cylinder and the shaft; a spring carried by the cylinder with a part thereof blocking the side entrance into the socket to hold the shaft in the socket; and a part on the spring at all times bearing against the side of the shaft to take up play between the shaft and the cylinder and to tend to hold the shaft in a predetermined position with respect to the cylinder.

' '7. In a lock of the character described: a cylinder having a socket opening axially to one end thereof and having a substantially T-shaped opening through the side of its socket; a drive shaft having a head and a substantially rectangular neck portion in the socket with its head in line with the head of the T-shaped opening and its neck in line with the stem of the opening so that proper disposition of the shaft with relation to the cylinder enables lateral passage of the shaft through the opening; a driving lug projecting in from the side of the socket in position to engage one face of the rectangular neck portion of the shaft to provide a lost motion driving connection between the cylinder and the shaft; and a spring carried by the cylinder and pressing against the opposite face of the neck portion of the shaft to press the shaft against said driving lug.

8. In a lock of the character described: a cylinder having a socket opening axially to one end thereof and having a substantially T-shaped opening through the side of its socket; a drive shaft having a head and a substantially rectangular neck portion in the socket with its head in line with the head of the T-shaped opening and its neck in line with the stem of the opening so that proper disposition of the shaft with relation to the cylinder enables lateral passage of the shaft through the opening; a driving lug projecting in from the side of the socket in position to engage one face of the rectangular neck portion of the shaft to provide a lost motion driving connection between the cylinder and the shaft; a spring carried by the cylinder and pressing against the opposite face of the neck portion of the shaft to press the shaft against said driving lug; and a second lug projecting in from the-side wall of the socket and engaged by the free end portion of the spring to locate the same. v

. 9.'In a lock of the character described: a rotatable cylinder having a socket opening axially to one ,end thereof and having an openin through the side wall of the socket to provide a side entrance into the socket; a drive shaft having a headed end portion received in the socket, said headed end portion and the side entrance into the socket being complementary in size and shape to enable sidewise insertion of the shaft into the socket; and a wire spring mounted'on the socketed end portion of the rotatable cylinder and having a part thereof entering the socket to block the sideentrance and prevent disassembly of the shaft from the cylinder.

10. In a lock of the character described: a cylinder having a socket opening axially to one end thereof and having an opening through the side wall of the socket to provide a side entrance into the socket; a drive shaft having a headed end portion received in the socket, said headed end portion and the side entrance into the socket being complementary in size and shape to enable sidewise insertion of the shaft into the socket; a wire spring embracing the socketed end portion of the cylinder; a hook on one end of the spring engaging" in a notch in the cylinder to hold the spring against shifting; and means on the opposite end of the spring projecting into the socket adjacent to the side entrance to block the same and hold the shaft assembled with the cylinder.

11. In a lock of the character described: a cylinder having a socket opening axially to one end thereof with an opening of irregular shape through the side of the socket providing a side entrance into the socket and having an enlarged lateral opening in the outer portion of the socket adjacent to the side entrance; a drive shaft having a headed end portion of polygonal cross section in the socket, said headed end portion of the drive shaft and the side entrance being complementary in size and shape to enable insertion and removal of the shaft in one position with respect to the cylinder; a wire spring embracing the socketed end portion of the cylinder; and means on the wire spring entering the socket through said enlarged opening to press against the side of the drive shaft and yieldingly hold the same in a predetermined position with respect to the cylinder as well as to block the side entrance and thereby prevent disassembly of the shaft from the cylinder.

12. In a lock of the character described: a cylinder having a socket opening axially to one end thereof with an opening of irregular shape through the side of the socket providing a side entrance into the socket and having an enlarged lateral opening in the outer portion of the socket adjacent to the side entrance; a drive shaft having a headed end portion of polygonal cross section in the socket, said headed end portion of the drive shaft and the side entrance being complementary in size and shape to enable insertion and removal of the shaft in one position with respect to the cylinder; a wire spring embracing the socketed end portion of the cylinder; means onthe wire spring entering the socket through said enlarged opening to press against the side of the drive shaft and yieldingly hold the same in a predetermined position with respect to the cylinder as well as to block the side entrance and thereby prevent disassembly of the shaft from thecylinder, the bottom ofthe enlarged opening through which the spring projects into the socket supporting the spring against inward displacement; and an outward projection on the cylinder engaging the side of the spring to support the same against outward displacement where it enters the enlarged opening.

13. In a lock of the character described: a rotatable cylinder having a socket opening axially to one end thereof; a drive shaft having one end thereof received in the socket, said socket and the drive shaft having mutually interengaging surfaces holding the cylinder and shaft against axial separation and defining a lost motion driving connection therebetween, the cylinder having an opening through the side of the socket providing a side entrance into the socket through which the shaft passes during assembly and disassembly thereof with the cylinder; and resilient means entering said side entrance and pressing-the shaft against one side of the socket so as to center the driven end of the shaft to rotate true with the cylinder.

14. In a lock of the character described: a cylinder having a socket opening axially to one end thereof and having an opening through the side Wall of the socket to provide a side entrance into the socket; driving lugs projecting into the socket; a shaft received in the socket; driving surfaces formed on the shaft for lost motion engagement with said driving lugs; and a spring carried by the cylinder and pressing the shaft inward of the side entrance at all positions of relative lost motion rotation between the shaft and the driving lugs of the cylinder.

15. In a lock of the character described: a cylinder having a socket opening axially to one end thereof and having an opening through the side wall of the socket to provide a side entrance into the socket; driving lugs projecting into the socket; a shaft received in the socket; driving surfaces formed on the shaft for lost motion .engagement with said driving lugs; and a spring carried by the cylinder and frictionally engaging the shaft with the side of the socket remote from the side entrance, whereby the shaft is frictionally carried along with angular movements of the cylinder to facilitate engagement of the shaft at installation of the lock,

16. In a lock of the character described: a cylinder having a socket opening axially to one end thereof and having an opening through the side wall of the socket to provide a sid entrance into the socket; driving lugs projecting into the socket; a shaft received in the socket; driving surfaces formed on the shaft for lost motion engagement with said driving lugs; and resilient means carried by the cylinder and engaging a driving surface of the shaft adjacent to a driving lug on the cylinder whereby the resilient means presses on the same driving surface throughout the range of relative motion between the shaft and the cylinder.

17. In a lock of the character described: a cylinder having a socket opening axially to one end thereof and having an opening through the side wall of the socket to provide a side entrance into the socket; overhanging driving lugs on the side wall of the socket and projecting into the socket, the space beneath the lugs communicating with the side opening; a shaft received in th socket; driving surfaces formed on the shaft for lost motion engagement with said driving lugs; a head on the inner end of the shaft for engagement under an overhanging driving lug in the socket; and resilient means carried by the cylinder and pressing the shaft inward of the side entrance to hold its'head under one of the overhanging lugs.

18. In a lock of the character described: a cylinder having a socket opening axially to one end thereof and having its mouth formed with an outwardly flaring conical surface; overhanging driving lugs projecting into the socket. from its side Walls, said lugs being spaced axially in from the mouth of the socket and the socket portion axially in from the lugs providing an enlarged space bounded by a curved wall concentric with the cylinder; a shaft received in the socket; an enlarged head at the end of the shaft inside said enlarged space and adapted for engagement under the overhanging lugs; driving surfaces formed on the shaft for engagement with the driving lugs, and terminating in shoulders on the shaft; a spring engaging the shaft at its driving surface portion between the head and the shoulders, to press the head into contact with said curved wall and a shoulder into contact with said conical surface and thus yieldingly hold the shaft in pointing extension from the end of the cylinder.

' EDWARD N. JACOBI. 

